New Year's Resolutions

There’s the excitement of the festive season to look forward to but getting through the cold dark months of January and February can feel like a real slog. As well as cold weather, budgets are tight after Christmas, and we’re more at risk from seasonal illnesses as well as COVID-19. But there are ways and means to get the best out of the season. We’ve put together some top tips to help you look after yourself:

Eat healthy - Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and can help you feel your best. The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right number of calories for how active you are. It's recommended that you eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. ¹  The NHS has put together a list of nutritious affordable step-by-step recipes to help you kick start your health eating journey.

Be a sober superstar - Have you been thinking about your drinking? Sign up for Dry January and feel the health benefits of going alcohol free for a full month. Dry January, as in ditching alcohol in the first month of the new year, is an annual tradition for many people. For some, it’s part of a New Year’s resolution to drink less, while others like to take a break after excessive drinking over the festive season.

Get active - As well as eating healthily, regular exercise may help reduce your risk of getting serious health conditions. It's also important for your overall health and wellbeing. It can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%. Research shows that physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, clinical depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.²

Sources
1 and 2 - www.nhs.uk/live-well